6 SAP Implementation Challenges and Best Practices to Overcome Them

SAP is a global leader in ERP. It offers a suite of modules and features that help businesses manage various important processes. It also provides a real-time view of business operations so organizations can make data-driven decisions. However, despite these immense benefits, businesses often grapple with unforeseen challenges during SAP implementation.

The sheer scope of SAP, designed to automate and optimize complex processes across all facets of an organization, naturally makes it difficult to implement successfully. However such challenges and difficulties should not deter businesses from leveraging its benefits. If you follow the right approach and the best SAP implementation process, it’s entirely possible to smoothly overcome all challenges.

So are you striving to successfully deploy and utilize SAP systems to centralize data, streamline operations, gain real-time insights and achieve business efficiency? Then get ready to learn about the most challenging scenarios businesses often encounter when using SAP systems and read on as we also discuss the best SAP implementation process as an ideal solution for such problems.

Why is SAP Implementation Challenging?

SAP, like many ERP systems, demands careful planning and effort for successful implementation. It’s not an out-of-the-box solution but needs to be tailored to fit your specific business needs, often requiring extensive configuration.

Consider something as fundamental as “order processing.” With SAP, you need to consider when orders enter the ERP system, where the order processing takes place in comparison to the transaction, what happens to the order documentation, how it’s routed within the system, whether it requires special handling, and how it’s ultimately recorded.

Now imagine when you’re dealing with much more complex processes. Creating and managing SAP workflows for such processes will be even more complicated and challenging.

So deploying and using the SAP system is challenging because it is an incredibly powerful ERP that requires thorough planning and configuration to align with specific business operations. And often, businesses are not well-prepared for it, which makes implementation inefficient.

6 Challenges of SAP Implementation and Ways to Overcome Them

The SAP implementation process is a multi-faceted implementation journey that businesses undertake to introduce the SAP suite of applications in the business lineup. Implementing SAP is a strategic move for any business trying to streamline its operations, automate its processes and enhance overall efficiency. The SAP implementation project, however, comes with its own share of challenges – from data migration complexities, change management and user training hurdles to cost optimization and going live. All these aspects need to be taken care of and considered with careful and keen planning in order to achieve a seamless SAP implementation process. Below, we discuss some of the key challenges organizations face during the SAP implementation journey and offer insights on how to best navigate through these obstacles.

Challenge #1: Lack of Specialized Expertise for SAP Implementation

Proper utilization of SAP ERP solution requires a deep understanding of the system’s intricacies and functionalities. In the initial stages of SAP implementation, organizations may not have a dedicated in-house team of experts who are well-versed in the SAP ecosystem. This lack of expert personnel can lead to several implementation issues, such as:

inefficient configuration, which can result in workflows that do not operate as required, leading to productivity bottlenecks.
unable to diagnose and address errors or unexpected issues that require swift resolution.
underutilization of SAP’s wide range of features and modules, thereby missing out on better opportunities for automation and optimization.
longer implementation time, as inexperienced teams need more time to learn the system and troubleshoot issues.

Solution: Cultivating SAP Expertise

To address this challenge, organizations can:

Collaborate with SAP partners or consultants who can lend their expertise and years of experience to successfully utilize the system, as well as to train and guide in-house teams.
Form a dedicated team of employees to implement and manage SAP systems.
Invest in training programs for the dedicated team so that they eventually become proficient in various SAP modules.
Encourage continuous learning and skill development among your team to stay up to date with the latest SAP advancements and best practices.

Challenge #2: Poor Resource Allocation

Successful SAP implementation also requires extensive resources that businesses may fail to realize.

Complete SAP implementation can take months or even years for larger enterprises, so time is one of the key resources. Significant technical infrastructure is needed to host and run SAP applications, such as server and networking, storage, backups, database management systems, middleware, and of course, the SAP environment and GUI.

Experienced staff are also an essential resource, as we discussed in the previous point about the need for a team of SAP experts. Lastly, you must fix a budget for all these things, meaning financial resources will obviously be expended.

Solution: Strategic Resource Management

Resource allocation becomes a challenge when organizations don’t have a complete understanding of what it takes to set up and utilize SAP systems. Furthermore, the exact strategy and requirements vary for every business, depending on their size, scale, and the scope of using SAP for their processes and operations.

Meticulous planning and strategic resource management is the way to go for overcoming this challenge. With the help of an expert SAP consultant, you can determine how long it will take to implement, how much it will cost, and the level of infrastructure and dedicated in-house teams.

Challenge #3: Extensive Testing and Configuration in SAP Implementation

SAP is packed with features, and you need to configure them as per your business processes. It’s designed for a wide range of industries, making it a highly versatile and powerful tool. However, this versatility also translates into extensive configurations and testing requirements, which becomes a challenge for many businesses.

SAP implementation involves configuring the system to accurately map business operations that are specific to your organization.
Clean, accurate, and validated data is essential for migration into the SAP system. If data migration and testing are not thorough, it can lead to data integrity issues post-implementation.
Testing is not just limited to the SAP system itself. Another aspect is to test the level of user acceptance to ensure they are comfortable with the new system.

Solution: Effective Testing and Configuration Strategies

Here are some essential methods to ensure the SAP system undergoes proper testing.

Thorough Sandbox Testing
Utilize sandbox environments to simulate various scenarios, such as configuring new modules, applying updates, testing custom developments, or exploring potential system enhancements. This sandbox approach allows for risk-free experimentation and problem-solving.
Data Migration Testing
Perform rigorous data migration tests in the sandbox environment before actual migration. For example, check if your customer details, sales records, product info, etc. all show up correctly in SAP. If you spot any problems, figure out what’s wrong and fix it. Then repeat the process multiple times, until no issues arise during the migration test.
Proper User Acceptance Testing and Change Management
To address user acceptance challenges, involve key users as well as stakeholders in user acceptance testing (UAT). Assign a change management team to address any resistance from employees towards SAP systems.

Challenge #4: Complex Customizations

SAP also offers many customizable solutions to facilitate the creation of workflows for specific business needs. But many times, customization may not even be necessary. In fact, over-customizations can make your system needlessly complex and difficult to work with.

With each SAP update or change, the custom code would need to be carefully reviewed and potentially modified, leading to higher maintenance costs. The system’s performance may suffer, leading to delays in key operations.

Solution: Deep Evaluation of Customizations

Businesses must balance their unique requirements with the need for system simplicity and future scalability. Here are some key steps to overcome this challenge:

Assess Necessity: Evaluate whether customization is absolutely essential or if existing SAP functionalities can address business requirements.
Engage Experts: Seek input from SAP experts or consultants to determine the most efficient and sustainable customization approach, if needed.
Prioritize Standardization: Whenever possible, align business processes with SAP’s standard best practices to reduce the need for extensive customization.

Challenge #5: Inefficient Business Processes

Sometimes, when SAP workflows appear complex or cumbersome, the reason may be that the underlying business process itself is inefficiently designed. And when businesses consider using SAP systems, they often expect powerful features that automatically streamline their processes, rather than reviewing their own operational efficiency first.

However, ERP systems like SAP work most effectively when they are aligned with efficient processes. Conversely, if your business processes are unnecessarily complicated, teams are bound to have a difficult time navigating the SAP workflows.

Solution: Optimize Business Processes Before Implementation

To address the challenge of inefficient business processes, organizations should adopt a structured approach to optimize their workflows.

Assess existing business processes to identify redundancies, bottlenecks, and operations that require frequent manual intervention.
Create detailed process maps and flowcharts to visualize how the real-life processes are translated to SAP workflows.
Utilize various automation features of SAP to streamline routine tasks and reduce the margin for human error.
Involve employees in the process optimization efforts. They often have valuable insights and suggestions for improving workflows since they are closest to the day-to-day operations.

Challenge #6: Migrating from SAP ECC to S/4 HANA

SAP’s decision to retire mainstream support for SAP ECC 6.0 by 2027 has set the stage for a significant transition in the SAP landscape. They plan to completely replace ECC with its more advanced successor – SAP S/4HANA.

The challenge lies not only in the technical aspects of data migration and system configuration but also in the strategic implications for businesses. Organizations must carefully plan and execute this transition to ensure minimal disruption to their operations and to fully capitalize on the capabilities of S/4HANA.

Solution: Greenfield and Brownfield

To address the challenge of migrating from SAP ECC to S/4 HANA, organizations have two primary approaches: Greenfield and Brownfield. Each SAP implementation methodology offers distinct benefits and considerations, allowing businesses to choose the one that best aligns with their unique circumstances and goals.

Greenfield Implementation:
In a Greenfield approach, organizations start anew with SAP HANA implementation. This means setting up a completely new system and re-implementing business processes. It’s an opportunity for a clean slate and encourages businesses to reevaluate their existing processes. Starting from scratch means reduced complexity and the opportunity to design the system exactly to meet current and future needs. However, Greenfield requires more resources, including time, manpower, and budget, as it essentially involves building a new system. It can be disruptive to business operations, as it involves a complete overhaul of existing systems and processes.
Brownfield Implementation:
Brownfield allows organizations to retain their existing SAP ECC investments, including customizations while migrating to S/4HANA. This approach is typically less disruptive to daily operations. It focuses on the technical aspects of migration, preserving the existing business processes and customizations. It is often faster to implement compared to Greenfield. On the other hand, adapting ECC data structures to fit the S/4HANA model can still be a complex process, requiring careful planning. The migration of legacy configurations and customizations will require high effort and expertise.

SAP Implementation Best Practices

Considering the challenges explained above and their solutions, here’s an effective action plan for successful SAP implementation.

Step 1. Review your business processes

Simplify cross-functional processes, and streamline communication channels and data sharing. Then analyze how SAP implementation can automate these processes and what benefits it brings to your business.

Step 2: Analyze Business Requirement

Identify and document the specific functional requirements of your organization that SAP should address, such as financial management, supply chain, human resources, customer relationship management, etc.
Collaborate closely with key stakeholders from different departments within your organization. Understand their unique requirements and pain points to ensure that SAP aligns with their needs.
Prioritize identified requirements based on their impact on business operations, compliance needs, and strategic objectives.
Match the identified requirements with the functionalities offered by SAP. Determine whether the standard modules can fulfill your requirements or if customization is necessary.

Step 3: Analyze your readiness

Discuss these things with stakeholders and SAP experts to review your readiness for adopting SAP systems:

Do you have the necessary budget, time, and other resources required for successful implementation?
Are you ready to train employees to specialize in SAP and gain the necessary expertise to manage advanced ERP systems and complex workflows in the long run?
How complex are your ERP requirements and how can SAP fulfill those requirements?

Step 4: Join hands with an SAP implementation partner or consultant

Since SAP implementations require specialized expertise, it’s best to connect with a reputed and reliable SAP consultant who can not only successfully setup and configure SAP systems but also train and assist your in-house team to implement and utilize those systems effectively.

Step 5: Rigorous testing and improvement

Simulate various testing scenarios, such as configuring new modules, applying updates, testing custom developments, or exploring potential system enhancements. It helps identify potential issues, errors, or conflicts before changes are implemented in the production environment, so the testing phase should never be rushed.

SAP Integrations with Other Applications via APPSeCONNECT

There’s no denying that SAP is a powerful and resourceful application that can help businesses of all scales manage regular operations. However, for fast-growing companies and large enterprises, an ERP is not enough to handle every aspect of their business. Other SaaS applications, CRMs, payroll software, accounting software, and industry-specific solutions, become equally essential to cater to specific needs and requirements.

One of the crucial aspects of successful ERP implementation is the ability to seamlessly integrate your SAP system with other applications. APPSeCONNECT, a smart and intelligent integration platform, specializes in bridging the gap between your SAP ERP and a wide range of other business applications. We offer a user-friendly, low-code platform with pre-built connectors that can integrate different SAP systems such as S/4 HANA and SAP Business One with many popular enterprise applications. As ERP integration experts, APPSeCONNECT will help you make your business processes even more efficient, intelligent, and automated by facilitating smooth, real-time data sync between SAP and other applications.

Conclusion

SAP implementation is a complex process that demands specialized expertise, extensive resources, precise configuration, and strategic planning. Overcoming these challenges can be difficult, but each challenge encountered presents an opportunity to refine business processes and maximize the potential of this robust ERP system. If you’re striving to get more out of your SAP system, then it’s time to revise your current processes and follow the best practices for ERP implementation.

Looking to get started with SAP and eCommerce integration to automate the business operations in your organization? Seamlessly integrate and automate your ERP with other applications under a single, intelligent, and secure Business Process Automation platform through APPSeCONNECT’s robust integration packages and achieve exponential business growth.